How to handle criticism at work effectively

05/16/2025 by

How to handle criticism at work? That’s a question most of us ask ourselves, at least occasionally.

Think about it. You’ve been working hard and trying to do your best, but someone still thinks it’s necessary, with a critical tone, to offer you some words of advice about the work you’ve just done.

Not a thank you; no recognition of the effort you’ve put in; just some caustic words about why they think your work is less than perfect.

Naturally, that makes you feel a little unloved, a bit defensive, and probably slightly irritated too.

Perhaps your critic lacks sensitivity?

Perhaps he or she fails to appreciate the value you’ve been adding to whatever you were doing at the time.

And of course, your critic may not have had visibility of the constraints you were working under or the pressures you faced at the time.

Regardless of the circumstances, it’s natural if you feel hurt when all people can do is point to something they believe is wrong, incomplete, or not as good as it could have been. If it doesn’t hurt, certainly it is irritating, in my experience. It can also seem overly harsh at times.

HOW TO HANDLE CRITICISM AT WORK
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The importance of criticism:

The problem when hearing criticism is that our defensive barriers tend to go up immediately. And once we’re on the defensive, we don’t tend to listen to the feedback we’re getting. We just concentrate on how we’ll respond in order to dismiss whatever’s being said.

This is unfortunate because if we did listen and reflect on what is being said, it’s just possible that our critic may have a valid point.

The importance of criticism is that it provides us with valuable feedback.

And how we react to any feedback depends on our attitude and how we choose to look at it.

We can get all hurt and defensive, or we can choose to give our critic the benefit of the doubt and assume that they’re genuinely trying to be constructive.

In other words, we can embrace criticism positively and seek to use it to our advantage. Certainly, this is the mature and grown-up way of dealing with any criticism we receive.

Honing our skills:

We must recognize that none of us is perfect and we’re all prone to making the occasional mistake. That’s human nature.

However, if our aim is to succeed, we have to become masters of our chosen craft or profession. We have to be very good at whatever we’ve chosen to do if we’re going to stand out in the crowd. We have to be the best.

Being the best requires the constant honing of our skills. That means we must learn from our mistakes and any inability that might prevent us from delivering the results required of us.

Learning is a lifelong process, and we should be constantly practising and developing our skills and improving on the results we deliver.

To do that, we must learn from our mistakes.

Some mistakes will be obvious to us, of course, but sometimes we’ll fail to recognize them. Fortunately, others don’t.

Criticism is feedback:

The underlying point here is that criticism is simply feedback, and feedback is essential if we’re to improve our skills and become masters of our craft or profession.

That’s why it’s important to listen. If we know where we fall short, then we can do something about it.

How to handle criticism at work:

If you find yourself on the receiving end of criticism, the first thing to do is to remind yourself that feeling hurt is quite natural. That’s simply an emotional response to a negative situation.

However, don’t take anything personally:

Criticism is rarely groundless, though it’s often exaggerated.

Give your critic the benefit of the doubt and assume their intention is simply to provide you with some valuable feedback.

Welcome that feedback. Don’t interrupt your critic with excuses. That will just make you look defensive. Don’t glower at them either because you might stop them from sharing that crucial insight with you.

The truth may hurt, but the sooner you hear it, the sooner you can fix whatever it is you’re doing wrong, assuming you are doing something wrong.

Listen and focus on hearing everything being said.

When your critic has made his or her point, say thank you.

That will show confidence, dedication, and grace too.

Then ask yourself honestly:

Is the point being made by your critic a fair one?

And you do need to be honest with yourself here.

If you conclude that your critic has a fair point, then you must embrace the lesson. Learn from it; resolve to do better next time, and be determined to improve.

That way you’ll go from strength to strength. You’ll gain the respect of other people, too, for your willingness to listen and learn.

If they are wrong:

However, remember this as well:

Critics are not always right.

If honest reflection leads you to the conclusion that your critic is being unfair or is just plain wrong, then just ignore the criticism.

Smile and move on. Never take it personally, and never let anyone discourage you from the pursuit of your aims.

Conclusion:

Criticism is just feedback.

Feedback is your friend.

Embrace it; learn from it; use it to your advantage, but never take it personally.

And if, following honest reflection, you think they’re wrong, then it’s perfectly reasonable to ignore it and move on.

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5 ways to kill your dreams

05/15/2025 by

Today, I want to explore the 5 ways to kill your dreams if you’re not careful.

I’m sure you must have dreams and goals, dear reader. After all, most people do. However, how often do people fail to realise their dreams? How often do dreams and projects simply never happen? Why is that?

Well, in the thought-provoking TED video included here, Bel Pesce suggests how not to follow your dreams. She gives five reasons why you’ll fail if you adopt the wrong approach.

Bel Pesce’s observations relate to the beliefs people hold about how success is achieved. In her view, those erroneous beliefs are as follows:

5 WAYS TO KILL YOUR DREAMS
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5 ways to kill your dreams:

1. Believe in overnight success

We see someone successful, but we don’t see their backstory. Although they appear to have gained their success overnight, it was due to years of hard work mastering their craft first.

No one succeeds without years of hard work first. Nothing happens by accident. It’s all down to determination, grit, and an insatiable desire for success.

Opportunity may come overnight, but you have to be well-prepared to grab that opportunity when you see it. Being prepared means mastering your craft.

2. Believe someone else has the answers for you

It’s your life, and no one else knows you and your life better than you.

You need to find your own way, in your own time. In finding a way, it must be a way that suits you well and one with which you feel truly comfortable.

No one else has the perfect answers that will be a good fit with your life.

3. Believe you can settle when growth is guaranteed

It can be amazing just how many people will stop and settle once they’ve reached a goal they’d set for themselves. They get to a point where they think, it’s OK now.

And yet, OK is never OK.

When you reach a peak, you must find the next peak if you are to continue to grow and sustain success.

4. Believe the fault is down to someone else

If you have a dream, it’s all down to you to find a way to make it happen. You find a way, or you make a way. And you never accept “No” for an answer, unless, of course, that was the answer you wanted.

The key message is it’s all down to you. If you fail to achieve your dream, then it’s your fault, and no one else is to blame. Simple!

5. Believe the only things that matter are the dreams themselves

Having a goal is important, but life is not just about goals.

Life is a journey with a constant stream of experiences and interactions with other people along the way.

The real fun is in the participation. Achievement is just a bonus.

Achievement is a momentary experience, but life is not. Life goes on beyond the moment.

Dreams and goals in perspective:

If you’re driven by your dreams, then I recommend that you listen to what Bel Pesce has to say. It might just save you some heartache.

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How will your life be measured? Here’s what matters most

05/11/2025 by

How will your life be measured? A philosophical question, perhaps, but an interesting one nevertheless.

Some time ago, I attended the funeral of someone whom I’d known quite well professionally but not at all socially. Someone I liked and respected, but I wouldn’t claim to have known them well overall. Nevertheless, funerals are a time to reflect on someone’s life. A time to consider the impact they’ve had on other people throughout their lives.

The funeral service was held at a large, traditional church in London, and it was crowded.

Listening to the eulogy and associated readings, I began to appreciate how much my late colleague had meant to so many people. It’s fair to say that she meant a lot to many people. The lives of so many people had clearly been blessed by her presence in them.

This experience made me think.

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So in life, what matters most?

As human beings, we’re all driven to achieve and leave our mark on life before we pass on.

However, we do tend to measure our impact on life in terms of careers and money. With those things, it’s fairly easy to keep score, wouldn’t you agree, dear reader?

Careers provide tangible evidence of achievement, or so it seems.

So, climbing the greasy pole and increasing our wealth tend to be the measures we use when we consider the idea of success. Nevertheless, as I sat there listening that day, I had to ask myself, are these things the most appropriate measure of the lives we lead?

Anything we do that only has a long-term payoff, we tend not to measure because there’s no immediate evidence of achievement. We can’t see the immediate impact of the small things we do, so we don’t believe they matter much.

However, I realized that day that they do matter. They matter a great deal.

It’s all in the little things we do:

A random act of kindness might not mean much to us, but to the recipient of our action, it could mean the world. It could have had a profound effect on that individual. And it might prove to be a life-changing experience for that person.

So, how will any of us be remembered?

When our lives have passed, how will they talk about us at our funerals?

People won’t talk about the size of our house or our car, but they will talk about how we made them feel. They won’t talk about the importance of our jobs, but they will mention how we helped them at a difficult time in their lives.

Perhaps they’ll talk about how we mentored them and how they’re a better person because of the impact we had on their lives. Maybe they’ll say they enjoyed our company, and they’ll talk about how they looked forward to seeing us whenever we were around. Perhaps they’ll just mention how we made them smile.

When you think about it, why would we want to be remembered in any other way?

Material possessions are meaningless:

Let’s face it, material possessions are meaningless. Equally successful careers are as much a reflection of good fortune as they are of anything we did to justify them.

That’s not the case when it comes to the impact we have on the lives of others.

The help we give and the kindness we show are all down to us and our actions day-to-day.

So, how many people we’ve helped seems to me like a much better measure of success than the size of the car we drive or the size of the house in which we live.

Real success in life comes down to the difference we make. How we’ve touched the lives of other people.

Certainly, that’s how I think we’ll be remembered by those who knew us, however much we’re focused on careers, money, and material possessions.

How great would it be to be remembered fondly and with respect by all who crossed our paths during our lives?

How will your life be measured?

I remembered my thoughts that day at the funeral when I stumbled upon this video of a presentation given by Clay Christensen at TEDxBoston.

It offers a great perspective on how your life will be measured.

I recommend you watch this video, as it’s well worth a little bit of your time.

And after you’ve watched it, I would suggest you reflect on this question:

Should the measure of our lives be just about money and achievement, or should it be more about the lives we’ve touched and the people whose lives are better for us having been in them?

How do you want to be remembered, dear reader?

For me, life’s measure should be in terms of how I’ve touched the lives of other people and not money, career, and the size of my house.

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31 Interesting quotes by Lucius B. Wack

05/08/2025 by

If it’s interesting quotes you’re looking for, dear reader, then I have 31 more excellent observations from my good friend Lucius B. Wack.

Regular readers will know that a couple of my recent posts have curated quotes from this modern philosopher.

As previously stated, Lucius B. Wack is someone I admire, so I thought it might be interesting to share some more of his thoughts on life today.

So, read these interesting quotes and see what you think.

I hope you find these observations about modern life in the Western world interesting.

If you do, then please feel free to pass them on to your friends.

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Interesting Quotes (1-10):

Who will ever get justice from the mob?

Policy cannot succeed if it’s based on falsehoods.

If the price is your peace of mind, it’s far too expensive.

To live is a beautiful thing. Certainly, it’s better than the alternative.

Work should serve us. We shouldn’t be slaves to our work. Life’s too short. 

There’s no such thing as government money. There’s only taxpayers’ money.

Today will be as productive as you choose to make it. So, make it very productive. 

Why is it that the most hateful people are always those who are the first to accuse others of hate?

The problem with those people who have an unshakeable belief that they know best is that usually, they don’t. 

You won’t get the authentic truth from anyone supported by big money. He (or she) who has the gold makes the rules.

Interesting Quotes (11-20):

Beware of those who love to parade their virtue. Behind every virtuous mask, there’s usually an ugly attitude. 

Life’s full of problems, and we all get our share. No one’s life is perfect, regardless of any indications to the contrary. 

When one is so convinced by the virtue of one’s own opinion, it’s easy to forget that one might be hopelessly wrong.

The cavalry won’t be coming to save you. So, if you want your life to improve, you’ll need to work on saving yourself.

If success is your aim, you must have a definite sense of purpose. Know your why, and you’ll find a way to get where you want to go. 

Beware those who will interpret what you say through the prism of their prejudices and seek to use their distorted views against you.

If it matters, we must make time. Everyone has the same number of hours in the week. How we use them depends on our priorities.

Failure is only failure if we fail to learn from it. Otherwise, it’s a useful lesson that’s the basis of that valuable commodity known as experience. 

When someone says, “Bow to my demands or face the consequences,” there’s only one appropriate response. It’s two words, the second of which is off. 

Have a go at anything, and you’ll make mistakes. However, you’ll learn from those mistakes, and over time you’ll hone your skills. Mastery starts with having a go.

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Interesting Quotes (21-31):

You don’t have to follow your heart, but one day you’ll wish you did. Better to try and fail than spend the rest of your life wondering what might have been.

Whatever you choose to say, regardless of how accurate or true it is, there will always be someone on social media who takes exception to it. That’s life today.

Some people are so blinded by what they believe is virtue in their own opinions that they cannot begin to appreciate whether alternative opinions held by others have merit too.

You may have a sound argument, but if it runs counter to the agenda of those with more sinister aims, they’ll simply dismiss you as a bigot. It’s the classic way of shutting down debate.

They strive to remove as many freedoms from ordinary folk as they can. They have a religious conviction in their own virtue and feel superior to what they see as the stupidity of the little people. 

If you’re in charge, you’re not there to be liked. You’re there to be effective. If you’re effective, you’ll get respect. If you try to court popularity, you won’t be effective, and ultimately, you will fail.

How many serious problems in this world have been caused by politicians making decisions that make no sense but have been driven by their need to be seen as virtuous?

Why do we give so many stupid people so much power over our lives? Wherever you look in politics and public institutions, there are stupid people who should never be anywhere near the levers of power.

Each of us has a different journey through life, and one person’s journey is not necessarily better or worse than another’s. It’s the choices we make and how we deal with the cards we’re dealt that will dictate our life experiences. 

The greatest tyranny is the status quo. Vested interests don’t like to be challenged because they fear someone taking their lunch. They have no intention of sharing the cake with anyone else. That’s why they must be challenged constantly. 

Be prepared to stand and fight if it matters to you, or learn to accept that which would otherwise be unacceptable. If you don’t make a stand, you must bow to those who pursue their agenda even when it runs counter to the interests of the many.

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33 short sharp quotes to get you thinking

05/01/2025 by

If short, sharp quotes are what you’re looking for today, here are 33 that I am confident you will like, dear reader.

Enjoy them all, and please feel free to share them.

short sharp quotes
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Short Sharp Quotes (1-20):

  1. Never complain; never explain.
  2. Troubled waters make skilled sailors.
  3. Mistakes are just lessons to be learned.
  4. You’re never too old to do something stupid.
  5. Yes, I have a sleep disorder. It’s known as children.
  6. We live in the era of smartphones and stupid people.
  7. No response is a response, and a powerful one too.
  8. To understand politics, you must read between the lies.
  9. You can’t change the past, but you can shape the future.
  10. Sometimes you’ve got to be smart enough to play stupid.
  11. If you want to change your life, change the way you think.
  12. Life’s hard for everyone, but it’s even harder if you’re stupid.
  13. Wouldn’t it be great if everything were as easy as getting fat?
  14. One good friend is worth infinitely more than 1,000 fake ones.
  15. Some people serve as examples, whilst others serve as a warning.
  16. Test my patience if you must, but I must warn you, I’m negative.
  17. Don’t waste your words on people who deserve only your silence.
  18. On Spaceship Earth, we’re all crew. We all have a contribution to make.
  19. It’s not who you are that holds you back. It’s who you think you’re not.
  20. If it’s not right, don’t do it. If you can’t be sure it’s true, don’t say it.

Short Sharp Quotes (21-33):

  1. You can’t argue with a closed mind and a fixed point of view. So, don’t try.
  2. If you have a problem with me, then cry me a river and drown yourself in it.
  3. Being wise is not hard. Think of something stupid to say, and then don’t say it.
  4. Knowledge is like underwear. Nice to have, but showing it off is rarely a good idea.
  5. We’re all prisoners of the mobile phone. That’s why they’re known as cell phones.
  6. Watch what they do, not what they say. Talk is cheap. Results are everything.
  7. You’re not the dumbest person on the planet. However, you’d better hope he doesn’t die.
  8. Never confuse the people who are always around you with the people who are always there for you.
  9. We must learn from the mistakes of others. None of us will live long enough to make every mistake ourselves.
  10. Words spoken in anger tell you a lot about what people think. They offer a glimpse behind the mask.
  11. We come from dust, and we return to dust. So it’s probably best not to dust. It might be someone you know.
  12. Some people are only meant to be there for a single chapter of your life. Not everyone will be a constant in your story.
  13. Evaluate the people in your life, then eliminate any that are a negative influence on you. It’s your life, and you decide.
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The Unparalleled Importance of Friends in Our Lives

04/27/2025 by

Friends are the family you choose. ~Jess C. Scott

Were you a fan of that wonderful American television sitcom Friends? Wouldn’t it have been great to share their company and all the fun they had in Central Perk?

For me, that show highlighted the important role that our friends play in our lives.

It is a fact that we don’t get to choose our family, but the good news is that we do get to choose our friends.

Friendship is a relationship of equals. A good friendship has a power dynamic that’s always in equilibrium.

Friends are the people whose company we enjoy, people with whom we feel a real sense of connection and with whom we share common interests.

They are also people we’d be willing to go out of our way to help if we thought they were in trouble.

Family and loyalty go together, of course. You can’t have one without the other. And a relative can be a friend too, of course. As Ross and Monica were in Friends, for instance.

However, just because you’re related to someone doesn’t mean you’ll like them or that they’ll like you. Being related is no guarantee you’ll enjoy their company.

So, if you have a few close friends, you’re lucky indeed.

Friendship adds a sparkle to a life that could otherwise be quite dull.

Poem about friendship:

If today’s theme has caught your imagination, you might like to read this poem I wrote, Friendship.

Friendship Poem

Some quotes that might appeal:

Here are 10 thought-provoking quotes about friendship:

If you have one true friend, you have more than your share. ~Thomas Fuller 

A friend is a gift you give yourself. ~Robert Louis Stevenson 

True friends are always together in spirit. ~L.M. Montgomery 

A friend may be waiting behind a stranger’s face. ~Maya Angelou 

The greatest gift in life is friendship, and I have it. ~Hubert Humphrey 

A single rose can be my garden, a single friend, my world. ~Author Unknown

A true friend is the greatest of all blessings. ~François de La Rochefoucauld 

A friend is someone who knows all about you and still likes you. ~Elbert Hubbard 

A true friend is someone who is there for you when they would rather be anywhere else. ~Len Wein 

There are no strangers here; only friends you haven’t yet met. ~William Butler Yeats 

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30 Best Quotes from Lucius B. Wack

04/26/2025 by

In a previous post, I introduced readers to an old friend of mine, Lucius B. Wack. Today, I offer you 30 of his best quotes about life and the human condition.

Affectionately known as Lucky, he’s someone who has greatly influenced my thinking of late.

So, I’ve put together these quotes as I think they might appeal to readers. I hope so anyway.

Grab a coffee and take a few moments to read some more of Lucky’s observations.

Please feel free to use any of these quotes. Lucky would be flattered to know he’s being quoted.

And please pass them on.

Best Quotes
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Best Quotes (1-10):

To believe is to accept as fact that which cannot be proven.

If you want your life to change, don’t make a wish list; make a to-do list.

Never be willing to die for your beliefs because you might just be wrong.

If you have a few loved ones and a special friend or two, you have all you need. 

Question the orthodoxy, and you’ll be dismissed as a bigot. That’s how the debate is shut down.

Anything can be yours, but nothing’s free. There’s always a price to pay, and it must be paid first.

You make choices, and you must accept the consequences. And there will always be consequences.

The only thing that virtue signallers achieve is a demonstration of their shallowness, vanity, and hypocrisy.

If you’re not hurting anyone else, you don’t need anyone’s permission to live your life in a way that suits you. 

Don’t just let life happen to you. Decide what it is you want, and then go out there and make sure you get it. 

Best Quotes (11-20):

When people try to curtail our way of life, don’t be afraid to push back. Who gave them permission to dictate how others should live?

Everyone has feelings, and most people are decent and doing their best. Remember that next time you’re inclined to be mean or spiteful. 

Arguing on social media with people you don’t know about things that don’t matter is my idea of a waste of time. Life is too short. 

Nothing matters more than our loved ones and friends. Jobs and careers won’t look after you if you’re ill or infirm. So, get your priorities right. 

Never be afraid to push back. You don’t have to accept the unacceptable. If you don’t push back, those with a more sinister agenda will win.

People are free to live their lives in any way they choose, providing, in doing so, their actions don’t conflict with the established rights of others.

Beware the caustic influence of cynics. They add no value, and they have no ideas for making life better. They just want to rain on everyone’s parade. 

You can be more than you are, and you can do more than you think. Add value by being the solution to people’s problems, and you can earn more than you thought possible. 

Those in power, and indeed those seeking power, don’t want you thinking for yourself. And if that’s not a compelling reason to think for yourself, I don’t know what is. 

We live in an age of shallow gestures. An age where people are constantly trying to make themselves look good through gestures they think are virtuous, when in fact they are just self-promotion.

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Best Quotes (21-30):

Being economically dependent on someone else means your life will be controlled by someone else. 

Death awaits us all. There’s no escaping it. However, before death, there’s life, and life must be lived to the full. 

Boldly go in the direction of your dreams. You may succeed, or you may not, but either way, you won’t spend your life wondering what might have been.

Do what you’re good at and you’ll do it well; do it well and people will notice. And once you get noticed, you have every chance of earning a decent income. 

Know your value. Employers will pay you as little as they can get away with. It’s down to you to ensure you’re being rewarded properly for the value you’re adding.

We live in an age where a caustic remark is considered an appropriate response to an innocent comment made on social media. Whatever happened to civility? 

In a democracy, everyone gets a vote, the votes are counted, and there’s a winner. And once there’s a winning outcome, we’re stuck with it, whether we like it or not. 

Criticize not those who make mistakes, for mistakes are an inevitable part of the human condition. Show me someone who never makes mistakes, and I’ll show you someone who’s never done anything. 

You’ll be easily conned if you let others do your thinking for you. Think for yourself and question everything. Never accept anything at face value. The new Puritans don’t have your interests at heart. 

Zealots see themselves as virtuous. They believe they’re doing good work, regardless of whether they belong to an organized religion or they just have a religious commitment to a cause. They see themselves as somehow superior to everyone else. 

Please share these quotes:

If you found Lucky’s best quotes inspiring and interesting, please share this post on social media with your friends. When you share, everyone wins.

So go on, please share this post now. If you do, I’ll be forever grateful, and you’ll be helping a keen blogger reach a wider audience.

Thank you for your support.

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30 quotes to make you think about life

04/23/2025 by

If you’re looking for quotes to make you think, dear reader, look closely at the 30 I’ve put together for you today.

They are all observations about life as we know it today. We live in strange times, and they appear to be getting stranger as each day passes.

In my experience, each decade has a unique feel, and the one in which we now live is no different. The 2020s are shaping up to be unique, that’s for sure.

On the positive side, nothing lasts forever. So, we have every reason to believe that life can improve. However, it will only improve if we challenge the orthodoxy and refuse to accept that which is unacceptable.

So, grab a coffee, relax, and see what you make of these 30 excellent quotes.

And please feel free to share them.

QUOTES TO MAKE YOU THINK

Quotes to make you think (1-15):

The silent majority is irrelevant.

Just because you believe it doesn’t mean it’s true. 

Import the world, and you import the world’s problems. 

A fact will always be a fact, however much you wish it were not. 

There’s never a time when everything’s done. There’s always more to do.

To believe is to accept as fact that which cannot be proven with certainty.

We appear to have sleepwalked into allowing the lunatics to run the asylum.

Beware the useful idiots with a reckless commitment to a questionable cause. 

There’s no obligation for people to adjust their lives to suit your life preferences. 

Who among us has not done something in our youth that we now know to be wrong? 

The lives we experience are a consequence of the choices we make. Bad choices lead to bad outcomes.

Just because bad ideas are accepted into mainstream thinking doesn’t mean they cease to be bad ideas. 

An inconvenient truth may be inconvenient, but that doesn’t mean it’s not the truth. A fact is a fact, whether we like it or not. 

When selection is based on tokenism rather than talent and ability, then the tokens will always struggle to be taken seriously.

If a politician’s explanation is vague and lacks clarity, then it’s wise to be suspicious. What is it they’re trying to keep from us, and why?

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Quotes to make you think (16-30):

Just because your intentions are good doesn’t mean the outcome will be good. The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.

Increasingly, the Western world is controlled by ideologues whose aim is to crush dissent and anyone who questions the orthodoxy. 

You cannot have democracy without free speech. Curtail the freedom to express alternative opinions, and democracy ceases to exist. 

If democracy is to work, then there must be a winner. And once there is a winner, the loser must accept the winner’s right to govern.

A peaceful life can come at a high price. Think twice before you choose a peaceful existence over standing up for what you know is right. 

If developing critical thinking skills is not the primary purpose of education, then you would have to question the value of education. 

Anyone who travels regularly in a private jet is in no position to lecture other people about the impact of carbon emissions on climate change.

Fashion is an industry that exploits a natural, youthful need to fit in while causing enormous environmental damage in its pursuit of profit. 

Politicians think only in terms of actions that will get them credit in the short term. Those who would do our country harm know this and exploit it quite effectively. 

When politicians refer to zero tolerance for misinformation online, what they mean is that dissent and any questioning of their worldview will not be tolerated.

If politicians are trying to stop us from questioning the views they’re promoting, that’s a very good reason to keep asking awkward questions and refusing to be fobbed off with polite but meaningless answers. 

Haters just want to destroy. They have no real idea as to how life might be made better. They have no vision, only a thirst for destruction. Don’t be fooled by claims that they’re acting in everyone’s interests. They’re not!

If we allow the world to go fully cashless, are we blindly handing over control of our lives to ‘Big Tech’? Giving away our financial freedom so cheaply is probably a mistake from which it will be impossible to recover. 

The problem with the notion of a hate crime is who gets to define the term hate. Mostly, it appears to be those with a vested interest in establishing themselves as victims and therefore deserving of special treatment. 

Equity of outcome might seem like a good idea, but if we go down that road, it will not end well. Equity of opportunity is beyond question, but to guarantee an outcome regardless of effort and enterprise is simply a race to the bottom. 

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19 quotes about change and why it’s important

04/22/2025 by

Today I’m exploring quotes about change.

One of the most fundamental human needs is the need for certainty. We all need certainty because we need to feel secure.

As a species, human beings are programmed to ensure we survive. If we don’t feel secure, then we are constantly on our guard, which drains our energy.

That’s why change can be an uncomfortable experience because it makes us feel insecure, and feeling insecure means we can’t relax.

Most of us can feel uncomfortable with change, at least to some degree, and that’s perfectly natural when you think about it.

However, change is important.

Through change comes opportunity, and if we can embrace change, then opportunity can be ours for the taking.

Most people tend to be slow in their response to change because it’s such an uncomfortable experience. However, if we respond quickly, we can grasp those opportunities just waiting for the fleet-footed.

Think about this: everything we take for granted today once didn’t exist.

QUOTES ABOUT CHANGE
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When change is ignored:

A good example of things that once didn’t exist would be computers. Today, most households have several of them in the form of desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones.

Certainly, this is the situation in my home, and I’m sure that’s true in your home too, dear reader.

However, as recently as 1943, Thomas Watson, then chairman of IBM, said, “I think there’s a world market for maybe five computers.”

Well, there are more than five computers in my home alone, and there will be billions more around the world.

As recently as 1977, Ken Olson, then president, chairman, and founder of Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), the leading supplier of minicomputers at the time, said, “There’s no reason for any individual to have a computer in his home.”

We’re lucky that neither Bill Gates nor Steve Jobs listened to those gentlemen.

However, in business terms, these examples are even more significant.

Failure to recognize the changing nature of the computer market had almost catastrophic consequences for IBM as a business.

They did manage to adapt eventually, but not before their business went through a major wobble and at one point looked like it might even fold completely.

And where is Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) now? It disappeared long ago and is now nothing more than a footnote in the history of digital technology.

So my message to you today, dear reader, is this:

You ignore change at your peril.

Embrace change:

It’s better to embrace change, however uncomfortable it may feel, and be ready to grab those opportunities as they come along.

The most successful people in business are adept at exploiting opportunities brought about by change.

Change is synonymous with opportunity. It’s that simple.

Here are 19 inspirational quotes about change to help you reflect on what it means and why it’s important. 

Quotes about change (1-10):

  1. Change before you have to. ~Jack Welch
  2. Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change. ~Stephen Hawking
  3. To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often. ~Winston Churchill
  4. If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading. ~Lao Tzu
  5. If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. ~Wayne Dyer
  6. The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance. ~Nathaniel Branden
  7. The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance. ~Alan Watts
  8. Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. ~John F. Kennedy
  9. Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek. ~Barack Obama
  10. God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. ~Reinhold Niebuhr

Quotes about change (11-19):

  1. There is nothing so stable as change. ~Bob Dylan
  2. There is nothing permanent except change. ~Heraclitus
  3. Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change. ~Confucius
  4. You must be the change you wish to see in the world. ~Mahatma Gandhi
  5. Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. ~Leo Tolstoy
  6. The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change. ~Carl Rogers
  7. They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself. ~Andy Warhol
  8. You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of. ~Jim Rohn
  9. It is change, continuing change, inevitable change that is the dominant factor in society today. No sensible decision can be made any longer without taking into account, not only the world as it is but the world as it will be. ~Isaac Asimov

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Thank you.

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Absolutely guaranteed secret to success

04/13/2025 by

Looking for the secret to success, dear reader? You’re not alone. So many people seek the secret, but very few find it.

Well, here’s Barbara Sher with some common-sense observations about life and success.

This is just part of a presentation she gave at the “Big, Cheap Weekend Workshop” in New York in July 2010. So it’s a decade ago now, but her observations are timeless, and they’re just as valid today as they were back then.

This video essentially is a ‘taster,’ but if you’re not familiar with Barbara’s work, then it might inspire you to check out her other videos on YouTube and indeed her public appearances, should she appear at a venue near you.

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The secret to success:

The Power of Personal Responsibility

Now here are my thoughts on success.

I believe that personal responsibility is the key to success.

If you’re drifting and waiting in the hope that something will happen? Let me tell you, it won’t.

Well, not unless you’re lucky and just happen to be in the right place, at the right time, with the right thing someone needs.

For most of us, that’s never going to happen.

For almost everyone, we must make things happen ourselves.

Let me share a secret with you. The magic ingredient to achieving your dreams isn’t luck or some mystical force. It’s you.

It’s all about you grabbing the ball and running with it.

What do I mean?

I mean, you must embrace the power of personal responsibility.

You are the captain of your ship, sailing through the sea of life. You can steer your ship anywhere you want it to go.

Yes, there will be storms and occasionally calmer waters, but ultimately, you decide which way to steer your ship.

Personal responsibility is about acknowledging that your choices, big and small, are the compass guiding your journey to wherever you’re going.

You must decide what it is you want out of life. You must decide the lifestyle you’d prefer to live. And you must work out how to get it.

Once you know where you’re going, you must set yourself some goals.

And then you must pursue those goals with determination and a willingness to work hard to achieve them.

Nothing worth having ever comes easy.

We all make choices in life, all the time, and we must accept the consequences of those choices.

In short, we must take responsibility for those choices, and if we pursue good choices, they should lead to the best outcomes for us.

If you embrace personal responsibility and stop making excuses, you will start to make progress towards the life you want.

If you become proactive rather than reactive, you will be knowingly steering the good ship “You” in the direction of your desired destination.

Today’s choices shape tomorrow’s outcomes. It’s that simple.

So, are you ready to take the helm?

Are you ready to grasp the personal power you have and own your journey to success?

It won’t always be easy, but at least it will be yours.

Trust me, the feeling of achieving something because you made it happen is amazing, and you won’t regret it.

So, embrace personal responsibility and achieve your full potential.

You can do it! It won’t be easy, but it can be done, and people do. So can you!

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